Friday, February 3, 2012

CA bay ~ 02/03/12 ~ Mt. Madonna

California bay / Oregon myrtle
Umbellularia californica
Lauraceae

I simply want to document the seasonal changes of the CA bay and show the yellow umbels of this native evergreen tree. To read about my experience of eating ripe bay nuts off the tree, click here. To see all 3 posts about CA bay through the year, click the ca bay label. It's hard for me to believe now, but I never noticed this common tree until I started blogging. Nature ID has served me well for learning about and paying better attention to the local natural world.

8 comments:

Cindy said...

Me too. the Nature ID and learning and paying attention part.

Katie (Nature ID) said...

Thank you, Cindy.

John W. Wall said...

Another good one to take a snort of -- but be careful. I inhaled the scent of some crushed leaves in Santa Barbara once and nearly blacked out (no, I'm not kidding)!

Katie (Nature ID) said...

Haha, too funny, John. They are pungent. I haven't used the leaves in cooking yet. I read you have to use only part of a leaf to equal Laurus nobilis.

troutbirder said...

Your right about the blogging experience, Katie. Nature blogging is, in fact, a wonderful way to broaden ones horizons and learn to pay better attention. Now as to the previous post it's hard for me to love anything with the term "fetid" in the title but I have developed an appreciation for our local skunk cabbage... :)

Katie (Nature ID) said...

Thanks, Mr. T. Aw, isn't the fetid adder's tongue pretty in its unusual way? Do skunk cabbages stink like skunks? Which species do you have where you live, Symplocarpus foetidus or Lysichiton americanus?

troutbirder said...

Yikes. I'll post some new pics this spring cause it's usually the first plant up in very early. As to the variety us history teachers aren't to good with the latin names. I'm struggling right now with the birdie ones much less plants and butterflies. :)

Katie (Nature ID) said...

Mr. T, please let me know when you post your skunk cabbages. I sometimes miss posts if I leave my reader open on my browser.